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The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Zoo urges people to donate their unwanted pets to feed their predators
A zoo in Denmark has appealed to the public to donate their small pets as food for its predators. The Aalborg Zoo has asked for donations of healthy and live chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs to feed its predators, such as the Eurasian lynx. In a post on social media, the zoo said it is trying to mimic the natural food chain of the animals housed there 'for the sake of both animal welfare and professional integrity'. It also offered assurances that the donated pets will be 'gently euthanised' by trained staff. The zoo in northern Denmark explained that 'if you have a healthy animal that needs to be given away for various reasons, feel free to donate it to us.' After being euthanised, the animals will be used as fodder, the zoo said. 'That way, nothing goes to waste — and we ensure natural behaviour, nutrition and well-being of our predators,' the Aalborg Zoo said. The online call for pet donations is accompanied by a picture of a wildcat baring its teeth with its mouth wide open and a link to the zoo's website, noting the facility is also interested in receiving horses. The social media post has had mixed reactions, with one describing the scheme as 'deeply perverse and degrading' and a 'sick invention'. Another user said she had taken her horse to the zoo to be euthanised a few years ago. She described the experience as 'peaceful' for her horse. 'The sweet staff took care of it in the nicest way, and they were grateful for the donation,' she added. Owners who donate their horse are also eligible for a potential tax break, the zoo's website says. The zoo always keeps other predators such as lions and tigers, according to its website. The small animals can be donated on weekdays from 10am to 1pm, with no more than four at a time without an appointment. The zoo says it can arrange a pick-up and delivery service for those willing to donate more than four. Any horse donated to the zoo must have a horse passport, its website said, and this donation comes with the opportunity for a tax deduction on the horse's value, which is calculated based on its weight.
Daily Mail
2 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'Pornographic' mermaid statue is to be removed in Denmark after it was deemed 'a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like' due to its large breasts
A revealing mermaid statue in Denmark is set to be removed after it was deemed 'a mans hot dream of what a woman should look like' due to its large breasts. The Danish Agency for Palaces and Culture is reportedly taking down the massive 14-tonne Den Store Havfrue (the Big Mermaid) from Dragor Fort after criticism from locals. Politiken's art critic, Mathias Kryger, branded the statue 'ugly and pornographic', while Sorine Gotfredsen, a priest and journalist, wrote in the newspaper Berlingske: 'Erecting a statue of a man's hot dream of what a woman should look like is unlikely to promote many women's acceptance of their own bodies.' She said it was encouraging to know that many people find the statue 'vulgar, unpoetic, and undesirable, because we're suffocating in overbearing bodies in public space'. Peter Bech, the man behind the 4x6 metre sculpture, and Torben Bodtker, the Fort's owner, both believe the artwork is not of a pornographic nature. 'I hear that many times. It's pure nonsense. The face is big, the upper body is big, the tail is big, and of course the breasts are big,' he said. 'The mermaid has completely normal proportions in relation to her size. Of course the breasts are big on a big woman'. While the statue, which was carved in Beijing, drew sharp criticism from many locals, some backed the artist and Fort owner in their position to keep the statue erected. For Aminata Corr Thrane, Berlingske's debate editor, the scrutiny of the mermaid's breasts was equivalent to body shaming. 'Do naked female breasts have to have a specific academic shape and size to be allowed to appear in public?' she wrote. Bech also said the rejection of his statue is a shame during a time where there is increasing focus on how women are underrepresented in public art. 'It is placed in its high position to show that women have gained an independent place over time and to show the respect that women have achieved,' he said. 'I think it is well in line with the desire for more statues of women in general'. He said that Dragor Fort 'benefits greatly' from the on-site statue, with the statue raking in more stars on Google Maps than the 'real' Little Mermaid at Langelinie in Copenhagen. But the assessment from the Danish Palaces and Culture Agency does not mention anything about the size or appearance of the statue's bust. Instead, the assessment states that the statue 'is not considered to fit into the cultural-historical environment,' because it does not align with the cultural heritage of the 1910 Dragor Fort landmark. Since the removal of the sculpture has been in the works, Bech said he offered to donate his artwork to the municipality. This was swiftly declined. Helle Barth, chair of Dragor muncipality's climate, urban and business committee, told Berlingske: 'It was a really nice offer, but it's hard to fit into Dragor - so we politely declined the offer. 'But the matter was discussed thoroughly and at length'. Following the announcement of its planned removal, the Fort's owner, Torben Bodtker, said: 'I'm sorry that it has to be removed. There are many people who come out here to see it. 'I've been very happy to have it standing as an attraction. Very happy. People have shown great interest in it'. The artist explained that he has now received an offer from a private sculpture park offering to buy the work. However, he said: 'It has gradually become part of Dragor's history. So I think it belongs here'. Therefore, Bech is now considering a citizen proposal as a possible way to preserve the statue's place somewhere in Dragor. 'It would be sad if it ended up in a parking lot somewhere. It's so much more than just a garden gnome,' said Bech.
The Sun
2 minutes ago
- The Sun
I'm Britain's oldest quads mum at 50 & also a gran-of-12 – haters tell me I'm selfish manufacturing so many children
BROWSING the school uniform aisle Tracey Britten piles 40 pairs of socks and underwear into her trolley, as well as 20 vests. At home Tracey, 57, already has eight new lunch boxes, matching bottles, four school bags, PE kits, and logoed cardigans and jumpers ready for September. 10 10 10 But Tracey isn't shopping for her 12 grandchildren but rather for her six-year-old quadruplets. In October 2018 T racey became the oldest mum in Britain to give birth to quads at the age of 50. She was also the oldest verified mum in the world to give birth via IVF to quadruplets using her own eggs. A team of 35 medics including specialist doctors and nurses delivered the IVF tots - three girls and a boy - defying eight million-to-one odds. For Tracey it was nothing short of a miracle, but the gran-of-12 admits that not everyone sees it that way. 'When people realise I have quads and they're nearly seven, you can see them doing the maths,' Tracey says. "I'm proud of what I have achieved. 'Some people are horrified and I've been accused of manufacturing children but I don't care what the haters think.' Tracey, an aesthetic practitioner and author, lives in a three-bedroom council house in Enfield with roofer husband Stephen, 46, and their six-year-old quads: George, Francesca, Fredrica and Grace. She's also mum to a daughter aged 39 and sons aged 38 and 28 from a previous marriage and nan to 12 grandchildren ages 18 to four months old. Britain's oldest mum of quadruplet's Tracey says she is the 'happiest woman alive' now all four of her babies are home for Christmas Tracey, who first became a mum at 18, divorced her older children's dad in 2003 and admits she wasn't interested in finding love again let alone extending her family. But in 2005, Tracey met roofer Stephen, ten years her junior, through locals in her area. She says: 'Despite the age gap, I was smitten, I knew he was my soulmate.' The couple married in April 2012, on Tracey's mum and dad's wedding anniversary, and while Stephen didn't have any children Tracey says she 'sensed' he wanted a family. 'I couldn't ignore my maternal urge even though I was 48,' Tracey says. 'When my mum had died of heart disease in 2007 she had left me some money which I'd put aside and Stephen and I decided to use it to make our dreams come true.' At 48 Tracey was too old to qualify for NHS funded fertility treatment and so sought out a specialist clinic in North Cyprus, where IVF is available up to age 55 or even 58 if the woman is healthy. Tracey explains as part of her IVF regime she had to use hormone patches and injections to thicken her womb lining. 10 10 10 This also encouraged her ovaries to produce more eggs on her first cycle with the clinic for harvesting. "We had a donor on standby but I didn't need her,' Tracey explains. Of the eggs Tracey produced on her IVF stimulation cycle consultants selected four of her best quality eggs. They were used to create four embryos with Stephen's sperm. 'On implantation day, I was shaking with excitement and nerves, holding Stephen's hand,' Tracey recalls. In March 2018, four embryos were transferred and three weeks later the couple got their wish - a positive pregnancy test. It was during their nine week scan that the parents discovered that they were expecting not one, not two but four babies. 'I sat there, stunned,' Tracey says. 'I felt a mix of joy, fear, relief, and disbelief - it all hit us at once.' The chances of naturally conceiving quads at 50 are almost zero via IVF and carrying them to term and using her own eggs is one in eight million according to CDC and Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology research. "One did not take, of the remaining three - one of the embryos had split resulting in identical twins alongside the two other babies," explains Tracey. While Tracey and Stephen were over the moon, the pregnancy wasn't without controversy. Back in the UK, doctors warned that carrying four babies at 50 was high risk and urged Tracey to consider selective reduction. 'They wanted to terminate Francesca and Fredrica,' Tracey explains. 'I was devastated, I cried to my daughter, who told me to trust my gut. I couldn't give them up.' While the majority of doctors in Britain warned Tracey against carrying all four babies to term she did additional research into multiple births. After speaking to specialist multiple birth consultants one here and one in the USA, Tracey and Stephen felt reassured it could be done. 'I knew I'd need a C-section and that my babies would be premature but I refused to let anyone take them away,' Tracey says. At the 30 week scan, doctors discovered one of the baby's blood flows was slowing and they made the decision to deliver them early. On October 26, 2018, at 31 weeks pregnant, Tracey delivered her quads via C-section at London's University College Hospital with 35 medical staff in the room including a specialist team of doctors and nurses for each baby. Francesca arrived first at 10.01am, weighing 2lb 12oz. 10 10 Her identical twin Fredrica followed one minute later, at 1lb 12oz. Grace came next at 10.03am, 2lb 7oz. Last was George, born at 10.05am, a healthy 3lb 10oz. 'It was a true miracle,' says Tracey. After seven weeks in ICU, the family finally brought their fab four back home. What followed was a 24-hour whirlwind of feeds, nappy changes and broken sleep. 'Having one baby is exhausting bringing home four was a military operation,' Tracey recalls. 'I was lucky to get two hours of sleep a night. It was like running a baby bootcamp.' Stephen left for work at 6.30am and Tracey was up at 6am to start her strict routine. 'Each baby was fed every two to three hours,' she recalls. 'I did two at a time - feed, change, burp, start again. We went through 24 bottles a day, 25 nappies, and about eight outfit changes.' Tracey kept the washing machine going five times a day and was in bed by 7pm while Stephen took over. 'People thought I was mad but the quads loved the routine,' she recalls. Despite suffering from sciatica, she never missed a park trip or supermarket run. "In my 50's I had more patience than I did as a teen mum,' she admits. "I had more knowledge and experience than I did as a younger mother. "Sometimes I wished I had the energy I did when I was a young mum but at 57 I know I achieved a near impossible feat.' While Tracey delighted in being a mum again she admits that she did struggle with her emotions at times. 'Sometimes I just sat and cried,' she says. 'Stephen and I would look at each other like, 'What have we done?' But we never regretted it. 'When I looked at them my heart would burst.' In September 2022, just as the quads were preparing to start reception, the family faced a massive blow. The rental house that the family had called home for two years was sold and they faced homelessness and the family left 12 months later in February 2023. 'The council put us in a Travelodge in Finchley,' Tracey says. 'We were there for nearly five months, all six of us in one room. It was horrible but we made it work.' In July 2023, the family were finally offered a three-bed council house in Enfield. 'It became our sanctuary,' Tracey says. 'We could finally breathe and get the kids into a proper routine ahead of starting school that September. 'At the school gates I still get the odd look, but the other mums and dads are great. 'I wouldn't swap the school run for a retirement cruise.' The quads settled into school life well but in December 2022, George was diagnosed with autism. 'I could see he wasn't developing the same way as his sisters,' Tracey admits. 'Getting a diagnosis was a relief. We knew he needed extra support to shine differently' As they have grown Tracey has seen her four children develop their own separate personalities. 'George prefers Lego and rough-and-tumble to his sisters' games,' Tracey says. 'Francesca is quick-witted and loves jokes, Grace is bossy and sociable while Fredrica is shy and loves cuddles. 'The four have separate friends at school but are still thick as thieves. 'They'll gang up on each other one minute, then be best friends the next like totally normal six-year-olds.' When the quads aren't in school they are likely enjoying a family holiday with the well-travelled kids visiting Greece in 2021 and then Benidorm in 2022. 'Last year, they went to Egypt and it cost us £6,000 for two weeks, including flights,' Tracey says. 'I find the best deals I can.' It's not just holidays where Tracey has learned to budget. The mum and dad spend around £700 a month on groceries. 'For a family of six that's around £150 a week," she says. "Like everyone, gas and electric is a worry so I shopped around and have a great flat rate deal. "To economise I am a keen bargain hunter and use loyalty cards and vouchers because over the years the points add up,' she says. 'We batch cook and we have lots of days out by finding amazing spots to go for free.' Despite their hectic schedule, Tracey says that she and Stephen, 46 still have plenty of time for each other. 'We're still madly in love and only have eyes for each other,' Tracey says. Her extraordinary story has seen Tracey build a loyal following online, with more than 25,000 followers and some of her videos hitting a million views on her @againstallquads TikTok account. 'There's so much curiosity and love,' she says. 'Older mums message me every day asking about IVF and having kids at 50. "I do get plenty of trolls too. 'They tell me I won't be alive to see them grow up and I shouldn't have had kids at 50 but my response is to ignore them.' Despite the hate, Tracey says that becoming a mum again at 50 is still her greatest achievement. 'It was the best, bravest decision I ever made,' Tracey says. 'I look at my four now—super smart, full of beans—and I'm so glad I didn't give up when doctors told me to.' 10
